If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You will have to register for an account before you can post.

Please note that the sign up process is moderated, so once you have provided email verification it may be a day or two before your account is validated by staff, although we will get to it as soon as we can.

If you are a parent, please use your own date of birth rather than that of your child so that the registration process doesn't get held up by us needing to ask you for further details :)

It is with a heavy heart that we tell you all that our dear staff member Tonibunny, who was with SSo from the start and was a good friend to many here, passed away Thursday night.

She was a wonderful friend to many members of the site. She readily shared all her knowledge and experience of scoliosis and was always willing to help and encourage anyone who reached out to her. When she wasn't sharing her experience of scoliosis, she shared her love of books, art, and music. She had a love of learning and life that was infectious.

Re: Scoliosis Consultants in USA, Canada and Australia

Mr. Peter Turner
Epworth Medical Centre
Richmond, Victoria
AUSTRALIA

Lives in Hobart, Australia. Born 1962, developed Idiopathic Scoliosis at around 12 years of age. No bracing, just watch and wait. By 2010 thoracic curve had increased to about 50deg, lumbar to mid 30's. I have had two surgeries: Posterior fusion T4-L1 June 2011 and thoracoplasty (five ribs) July 2012. Still recovering but feeling good! Scoliosis is familial as my younger sister has scoliosis too and had surgery around 1980 with the Harrington technique.

Re: Scoliosis Consultants in USA, Canada and Australia

hip hump: age 11/Diagnosis age:14/Current:15/ left thoracolumbar T10-L4 42* caused sideways & anterior pelvic tilt, right upper thoracic compensatory 25*, caused loss of kyphosis, which caused Forward Head Posture 2" forward. Doctors disagree, if congenital, caused by L5 hemi, or idiopathic.As owners of their bodies, people have more control than they think. I'm tired of surrendering on exam tables and pleading to doctors, "fix me". Do my best with what I can. Face the fact that I can't do everything. Let the doctors do it. People have so much potential in their aching bones, I see it in them, I see it in me. I want to set us free. Even if I become fused, I will stand by that.

Re: Scoliosis Consultants in USA, Canada and Australia

My surgical consult was with Rajiv K. Sethi, MD, in Seattle WA (at Virginia Mason hospital). I have a second opinion scheduled with Jens Chapman, MD (also in Seattle at University of Washington). Both were recommended on the SRS site. So far (though I haven't had the surgery yet) I have been happy with Dr. Sethi's demeanor, experience, knowledge. I can post again about Dr. Chapman after my consult with him (and again later after my surgery).

Re: Scoliosis Consultants in USA, Canada and Australia

I am surprised that I have not seen my husbands doctor here

Dr Lawrence Lenke
Washington University Severe Spine center
St. Louis

I know he is very prominent, but I also know he only takes the worst cases. All the Ortho doctors in GA turned my husband away because he was too severe, then one gave him a list of 3 surgeons that deal with severe cases and Dr. Lenke was the closest to home. With Dr. Lenke you have to show documentation of how severe your scoliosis is before they will even make an appointment, so maybe that is why there are not as many people on here. He seems very receptive up until now but surgery is not until Monday so we will see. He is under serious demand so you can assume you will need to wait 6 months to a year before surgery.

Re: Scoliosis Consultants in USA, Canada and Australia

As SSO is based in the UK, the majority of our members are from here and so our experience of US consultants is fairly small. This is why a number of the top US surgeons aren't included in our lists. However, Lawrence Lenke is well known in the scoliosis world and there are a good number of patients at the USA's National Scoliosis Foundation forum who have also been treated by him.

[SIZE="1"]37 years old, diagnosed with infantile idiopathic scoliosis at 6 months old with curves of 62(T) and 40(L) degrees. Casting and Milwaukee braces until surgery at 10 - ant release/pos fusion T1-T12, halo traction. Post op cast and then TLSO. Further surgery at 18 (ant release/pos fusion extended to L3 to include lumbar curve, costoplasty) and 25 (another costoplasty). Fusion extended to L4 at 33 (XLIF with 4 pedicle screws and two short rods). Pre-op curves: 76(T) and 70(L). Post-op curves: 45(T) and 35(L). Diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome aged 34; scoliosis almost certainly due to this rather than being idiopathic.[/SIZE]